Individualized Marketing for Authors and Writing Industry Professionals with Margo L. Dill
START DATE: This class is currently closed.
DURATION: 5 weeks
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Marketing is an integral part of success as an author and/or as a writing industry services professional, such as an editor, writing workshop leader, or book cover designer. But how do you know where to spend your money or your time to promote your services or books? Especially in today’s ever-changing publishing and social marketing world?
The key is—there is NOT a one-size-fits-all marketing plan. The answer depends on your genre, audience, budget, time, publisher, service, competition, and more. There are some proven marketing strategies that work across the board for all authors, such as: write an excellent book series, create a fan base of readers and communicate with them, and get book reviews and the word out to new readers. But how do you do this? Writing professionals often use word of mouth advertising, business cards, and meet and greets to get new clients, but how do you get started and grow?
This class helps you build an individual strategy for what you have to market. Through Margo’s own experience as an author and an owner of an editing business, as well as social marketing for WOW! and her day job at an agricultural publishing company, and with the help of some of her author and writing professional friends, you will start creating a marketing plan by examining key components—such as your audience, budget, tried and true methods, time management, and more. There’s no point in spending all your time on Twitter and Facebook, if your audience usually finds their next book because it was advertised in a book newsletter. Figure this out now!
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Margo: Very much enjoyed the course! I finally have a Marketing Plan, which is a first for me. Thank you for everything! ~ Joy St. John, Individualized Marketing for Authors student
There’s so much I didn’t know about using social media for marketing and how important it is. I still have a lot of research and learning to do, but your class has given me the tools and the head start I need to get my career going. ~ Betty Popp, Individualized Marketing for Authors student
Margo Dill and I were in ... Working Writer’s Club, and she taught workshops by phone for the club. They were informative and well planned. Her years of experience were evident in these workshops. ~ Marlene Hibbard
Margo’s workshop on WOW led me to build and enjoy creating a blog site. She was an orderly instructor with good follow through. ~ Claire Hyman
Margo is a gifted teacher, supportive, and concerned about her students' progress. I was fortunate to be able to take a few classes with Margo via WOW! Women on Writing, and I have benefited ever since from her inspiration as well as her expertise and knowledge of online publishing- websites, blogs, e-zines, and social media. ~ Carole Di Tosti, Ph.D.
Your course was one of the best online courses I have ever taken. The syllabus was well-organized, and your knowledge of the subject matter impressive. Your responses to questions were thorough and prompt. I would recommend your course to others without hesitation. Great job! ~ Mary Dunn
I have two great new ideas for setting up new blogs. I attribute a lot of this to the fact that this class got my mind working again and made me more excited about the potential of blogging. ~ Leann, student from Margo’s blogging course
I see some awesome paths to self-promotion I didn’t have before [taking Margo’s class]. ~ Brandi G., Advanced Social Networking student
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WEEKS AT A GLANCE:
Format:
Each week, students will view a pre-recorded webinar, and students can view it at their convenience during the week—there is no set class time! New material will be available each Wednesday. During this webinar, Margo will deliver content, which will help students create part of their marketing plan for that week. Besides presenting information herself, Margo will also interview authors and industry professionals in the trenches, who will share with students inside information on marketing and what has worked and not worked for them. Students will also receive recommended readings and a written assignment for the week. Margo will read and evaluate each assignment and be available to answer questions on a private discussion page or via email. Students will be able to share ideas with each other on the private website.
Week One: Starting at the Beginning
Interview with Sarah Whitney, writer and marketing specialist: Who is your audience? Where do they hang out? Where do they find books to read? What format do they read? What are your competitors doing that works? What is your budget?
Assignment: Your assignment will be to answer these questions and start your marketing plan, once you have viewed the webinar. (You will be provided a Microsoft Word document as a template during week 5 for your marketing plan, or you can create your own. The worksheet for week one will help you build your marketing plan during week 5.)
Week Two: Methods that Work
Interview with Author Camille Faye, Voodoo Butterfly. This week will focus on tried and true methods that work to sell books, everything from being featured in BookBub newsletter to using your website as a hub for readers. Camille is in the middle of writing and marketing a five-book paranormal series, so she has a lot to share.
Assignment: Your assignment will be to put at least two methods that Camille talked about into your marketing plan IF you think your readers would respond to them AND if they fit in your budget. You are encouraged to put as many methods as will work for your book or services into your plan. You will fill out a questionnaire and discussion questions this week, which you will use to build your marketing plan during week 5.
Week Three: Blogs, Tours, Reader Fan Base, Media Kits
Interview with Author Tricia L. Sanders, Murder is a Dirty Business and The Grime Pays Series. This week will focus on blog tours and building a reader fan base from scratch as well as creating a media kit, like Tricia did. Her marketing efforts around her cozy mystery series will be discussed.
Assignment: Your assignment will be to create a media kit! You don’t have to have a complete one, but you will get started and look at samples, to figure out what you will want to have on yours. This will be a digital media kit.
Week Four: Newsletter Lists, Contests, Challenges, and More
Interview with Angela Mackintosh, Editor-in-Chief and Founder of WOW! Women On Writing. This will be a week not to miss! Angela has run a successful ezine for writers for years, and she will share some of her secrets and tips for the newsletter lists and direct emails she sends and how she runs a contest (which publicizes WOW!) as well as anything else she finds useful to you. Angela is extremely generous with information and always encouraging!
Assignment: Your assignment will be to create a sample issue of your email newsletter, a contest you could run, or both (if you want!).
Week Five: Putting it All Together and Sharing What You’ve Learned
This week, students will share parts of their marketing plans with other students. There will be one more webinar to watch also, which will be tips from Margo, covering what students need to know based on their books or services (Individualization is key in this class because all marketing strategies do not work for all authors or writing professionals!). Also, tips will be provided to remember marketing plans are not set in stone—they should be always evolving.
Assignment: The assignment this week will be to create your marketing plan for your book (s) or your service. You will use everything you learned and created during the first four weeks to create your plan. A template will be provided for you, or you can use one of your own.
Materials needed: Access to a computer with Internet, Microsoft Word, something to market or a work-in-progress you will need to market in the future.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Margo L. Dill is the social marketing manager for WOW!, where she also blogs on The Muffin. She has experience marketing her own works—Caught Between Two Curses, a YA light paranormal romance novel involving the Curse of the Billy Goat on the Chicago Cubs; Maggie Mae, Detective Extraordinaire: The Case of the Missing Cookies (picture book); and Finding My Place: One Girl's Strength at Vicksburg, a historical fiction, middle-grade novel. She also runs and markets her own business, Editor 911. Her day job is as an editor and client services manager with Farm Journal Media, where she also dabbles in marketing and business strategy. Margo loves presenting workshops to writing groups and school groups. You can find out more about her on www.margoldill.com or www.editor-911.com. She lives in St. Louis with her eight-year-old daughter and lab mix rescue puppy, Sudsi.
COST: $155, SALE $99, which includes 5 webinars to watch anytime you want, 4 with guests; weekly feedback on your assignments and marketing plan; and a platform for group discussion and Q and A with Margo.
BUY NOW: Individualized Marketing for Authors and Writing Industry Professionals with Margo L. Dill (5 weeks, starting 9/11/2019) Limit: 15 students. Early registration is recommended.
This class is now closed. Please check out our current schedule here.
For Class Session Starting 9/11/2019
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Notes: Upon successful completion of payment, your name, email address, and contact info will be submitted to your instructor. Just before class begins, she will e-mail you with instructions on how to get started.
Questions? Email Marcia & Angela at:
classroom[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com
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